Naruto: Reborn as Kakuzu, the Immortal Assassin

"Ha! Hanabusa, you dare humiliate me like this? Don't come crying to me later!"

Retsu's face was twisted with anger, his pride thoroughly shattered in front of his comrades. Hanabusa, however, maintained a faint smile and gestured politely for him to leave.

Though she lacked the backing of a large village like Iwagakure, she wasn't someone to be trampled on. There was a limit to her patience, and that limit had been reached.

"Gentlemen," she said firmly, "I suggest you leave. Iwagakure wouldn't condone behavior like this."

Her words were a clear dismissal, and the other two Iwa-nin hesitated, exchanging uncomfortable glances before turning to leave. However, as they did, Retsu's eyes gleamed with a sinister light. His lips curled into a cruel smile.

In one swift motion, he spun around and launched a punch, striking Hanabusa across the face. She staggered, a bright red mark blooming on her cheek as she fell to the ground.

Hanabusa's mind raced. Ignoring the pain, she tried to form hand seals for a counterattack… a classic Genjutsu sequence.

But before she could complete it, whoosh! Another Iwa-nin lunged at her. The gleam of a kunai flashed, slicing through her palm.

"Ah!" Hanabusa cried out, clutching her injured hand. The sharp pain forced her to halt her technique, leaving her defenseless on the ground.

Retsu and his companion shared a vile, knowing grin. To them, Hanabusa now seemed like a wounded lamb, ripe for the taking.

One of the Iwa-nin hesitated, glancing nervously at Retsu.

"Maybe we should stop. If this gets back to the village—"

"Stop being such a coward!" Retsu snapped, cutting him off with a dismissive wave. "If something happens, I'll take the blame. Besides, once we're done, we'll dump her body in the wilderness. No one will ever know."

As he laughed maniacally, Hanabusa's injured hand subtly shifted toward a concealed tripwire on the floor. Her other hand clenched, her eyes burning with defiance.

The trio approached, their cruel intentions clear. But just as Retsu reached out to grab her, a chilling voice echoed through the dimly lit underground chamber.

"Those who have never tasted true suffering trample on the dignity of others with ease..."

The words hung heavy in the air, sending a shiver down Retsu's spine.

Startled, he and the others spun around to face the source of the voice.

Perched silently on the ceiling was a shadowy figure, their presence so quiet and unnerving that none of the Iwa-nin had noticed them before.

Retsu and his comrades instinctively shifted into defensive stances, their eyes narrowing as their hearts pounded in their chests.

The three shinobi could keenly sense the overwhelming power emanating from the stranger. It was an aura far beyond what the three of them could contend with. Uncertain of the man's intentions, the Iwa-nin remained highly vigilant. Among them, only Retsu appeared somewhat composed.

He took a deep breath, twirling a kunai around his fingers before deftly sliding it back into the pouch strapped to his leg.

"Friend, I am Retsu of the Iwagakure," he said, introducing himself in an attempt to ease the tension.

The man above them—Kakuzu—gave no response, his expression as unreadable as ever as he stared down at them. Undeterred, Retsu continued, "About that nonsense you were spouting earlier, I'm sure it's just empty talk, isn't it?"

Turning away, Retsu picked up a partially opened briefcase from the table nearby.

"Since you've stumbled upon our little operation, there's no point in hiding it anymore," he said with a sly grin. "Here's 2 million ryo. Take it and pretend this never happened, alright?"

With that, Retsu flung the briefcase up toward Kakuzu. However, since it wasn't fully closed, the money spilled out mid-air.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Bills fluttered like leaves, scattering across the open space—a full 2 million ryo raining down.

"Ah, my apologies, friend," Retsu said with a sheepish chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

"Seems I forgot to latch the case. Do me a favor and come down here to pick up the money, yeah? It's all yours. Take it and leave. No need to make things messy for yourself."

He beckoned to Kakuzu with a casual wave, urging him to descend.

Kakuzu's eyes widened slightly as he watched the bizarre scene unfold before him.

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

Read more than +100 chapters and support me on Patreon

Patreon(.)com/Jixo